POWRE: A New Approach to Avian Communication: Olfactory Anatomy, Odor Chemistry and Behavior

虽然鸟类是研究最深入的脊椎动物之一，但人们对它们的嗅觉知之甚少。事实上，已知化学信号可以调节除鸟类以外的所有脊椎动物(爬行动物、两栖动物、鱼类、哺乳动物)的行为的重要方面。这项拟议的研究将考察化学通讯在阿拉斯加海鸟群体中的作用，该群体被称为小海雀。在这一群体中，有一种物种，冠毛鸟，在它的羽毛上有一种不同寻常的“橘子状”气味，似乎与交配行为密切相关。这项研究有三个目标：详细研究海雀物种的鼻部解剖，研究海雀羽毛的生物化学，以及确定海雀对其羽味的任何行为反应。这项研究的目的是在一个模式鸟类群体中整合解剖学、化学和行为，作为了解化学交流在鸟类中的作用的一种手段。化学通讯的使用有可能改变关于鸟类行为的基本假设，因为科学家通常只考虑涉及视觉或听觉的信号。由于鼻微结构和气味化学在鸟类中完全没有研究，本研究的结果也适用于感官知觉、适应和生物化学的研究。这些数据将增加我们对鸟类的了解，并将使我们能够与其他动物群体进行比较，例如哺乳动物。最后，对气味的反应似乎与几种重要的鸟类行为有关，如求偶、雏鸟饲养和捕食者检测，这些行为可能会影响繁殖成功或死亡。因此，与鸟类气味反应有关的信息适用于物种保护、管理和涉及畜牧业的情况。这项POWRE奖将允许PI开发几种技术方面的专业知识，以支持这项综合的多学科研究。

Although birds are among the best-studied vertebrate group, extraordinarily little is known about their sense of smell. In fact, chemical signals are known to modulate important aspects of behavior in every vertebrate group (reptiles, amphibians, fish, mammals) except birds. The proposed research will examine the role of chemical communication in an Alaskan seabird group, known as the auklets. Within this group, one species, the Crested Auklet, has an unusual "tangerine-like" odor on its feathers that appears to be tightly linked with mating behavior. The study has three objectives: to examine in detail the nasal anatomy of auklet species, to study the biochemistry of Crested Auklet feathers, and to determine any behavioral response of Crested Auklets to their feather odor. The aim of this research is to integrate anatomy, chemistry, and behavior in a model bird group, as a means of understanding the role of chemical communication in birds. The use of chemical communication has the potential to alter fundamental assumptions about bird behavior, as scientists have typically only considered signals that involve vision or hearing. Since nasal microstructure and odor chemistry are completely unstudied in birds, the results of this research are also applicable to studies of sensory perception, adaptation, and biochemistry. Such data will increase our knowledge of birds and will enable comparisons with other animal groups, such as mammals. Finally, responses to odors appear to be involved in several important bird behaviors, such as courtship, chick rearing, and predator detection, which can influence reproductive success or mortality. Thus, information relating to odor response in birds is applicable to species conservation, management and situations involving animal husbandry. This POWRE award will permit the PI to develop expertise in several techniques that will support this integrated multidisciplinary study.